It is known to have roadside lighting and information bearing panels supported by sectional posts having one or more breakaway couplings interconnection the post sections and that yield upon impact. The breakaway couplings are provided in an attempt to reduce injuries and vehicle damage when the structure is impacted by a vehicle. By way of example reference may be had to the following United States patents: U.S. Pat. No. 4,926,592 issued May 22, 1990 to C. G. Nehls, U.S. Pat. No. 6,488,268 issued Dec. 3, 2002 to J. R. Albritton, U.S. Pat. No. 6,422,783 issued Jul. 23, 2002 to H. M. Jordan, U.S. Pat. No. 5,481,835 issued Jan. 9, 1996 to J. A. Bloom, U.S. Pat. No. 6,540,196 issued Apr. 1, 2003 to S. J. Ellsworth.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,481,835 discloses a tubular highway lamp post with an upper and lower pair of spaced apart break away portions with the lower one being at the base of the post. A road side sign panel supported by multiple posts each with two break away sections spaced apart from one another along the respective posts is disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. No. 4,071,970 issued n Feb. 7, 1978 to R. A. Strizki.
U.S. Patent D389,252 issued on January of 1998 to Alberson teaches a post having a lower post section wecured via slip type coupling means and U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,403 to Sweeney et al. teaches a slip type coupling means but neither teaches or suggest the use of an I-beam arrangement in accordance with the present invention.
Other known post slip type couplings have the components thereof permanently attached to the post sections as for example by welding and in the event of damage to the post not only do the post sections need to be replaced but also the coupling members connecting the same. It is common to see a plurality of stabs or rebar type members projecting upwardly from the ground for supporting sign posts held therein between.